


It's All Fun and Games (Until Someone Gets Possessed)

by moderngenius94



Series: Discord Ideas [3]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Injury, Broken Bones, Demons, Gore, Graphic Description of Corpses, Kyle Valenti is a Good Friend, M/M, Max does dumb things, Possession, Sleep Paralysis, Trauma, hurt children
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2020-09-26 05:10:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20384212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moderngenius94/pseuds/moderngenius94
Summary: Max gets an Oujia board for his birthday and decides he and his friends should play it. Naturally, things go wrong.





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InsidiousIntent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsidiousIntent/gifts), [cosmiceverafter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmiceverafter/gifts).

> This is for InsidiousIntent and cosmiceverafter. Without them I never would have tried.

It all started because of Max. If nothing else, everyone agreed on that. He was the one who thought using an Ouija board was a good idea. So by default, everything that happened after that was his fault. After months of begging, Max finally convinced his siblings and friends to play. When the day finaly arrived, the Evans triplets began to set up the basement of their home. Max thought it would set the mood properly. As Michael went about setting up the candles Max demanded, he kept up a constant stream of mutters about how dumb of an idea this whole thing was. Across the room, Isobel was setting up a snack table and nodding her head in agreement. Max rolled his eyes as he set pillows around the coffee table where the Ouija board was set up and waiting innocently.

“I still can’t believe you picked Halloween for this. How cliché can you get? We could have been at a party.” Isobel said, interrupting Michael’s muttering. “It’s our Junior year, Max. And I have a reputation to uphold.”

“As what, an ice queen?” Michael asked, snickering. Isobel glared at him, but said nothing.

Max laughed at his siblings antics before replying. “Come on, Iz. You know Halloween is the best time to do something like this. It’s All Hallows Eve. The connection between this world and the spirit world is at its weakest tonight.”

Michael and Isobel shared an annoyed look before rolling their eyes. “Whatever you say, Max.”

Before Max could respond, voices and footsteps could be heard on basement stairs. Both boys’ heads snapped over to them and Isobel calls them both idiots under her breath as she turns back to the table for some last minute adjustments. Liz, Kyle, and Alex enter the basement in the middle of an argument over the proper use of school funding that Alex promptly abandons as he heads straight for Michael, throwing a nod in Max’s direction before gripping Michael’s shirt and pulling him into a kiss. Michael lets out a hum of satisfaction and wraps his hands around Alex’s waist, pulling him in closer. Across the room, the others crowd around the snacks to give them a bit of privacy, though Kyle’s gaze lingers for moment.

Eventually, Alex pulls away to breath.. “Are you ready to contact the supernatural?”

Michael lets out an amused chuckle and presses his forehead to Alex’s. “I’m ready for Max to stop talking about this.”

Alex snorts and looks up at Michael through his lashes. “That is so mean. Don’t you believe in the paranormal?”

Michael pauses to think about his own mysterious past. “I mean, anything is possible. I just don’t see how a children’s board game is supposed to summon them. Seems kinda dumb.”

“People have been doing it for years.” Alex reminds him. “They are based off of spirit boards, remember?” Michael shrugs and leans down to kiss him again.

They are interrupted by Kyle calling out to them. “Hey lovebirds, get over here. It’s time to get spooky.” The sarcas couldn't be clearer if he tried.

While Alex and Michael had been otherwise occupied, Liz, Isobel, and Kyle had raided the snack table and settled down on the cushions surrounding the coffee table. Max was had lit all the candles and was waiting by the light switch, drink in hand. Michael stuck his tongue out as Alex apologized and dragged Michael to the snacks so they could have some. Once they had what they wanted, they joined the others at the coffee table. Isobel and Liz sat together on one side, Michael and Alex on the other. Kyle sat at the foot of the coffee table and there was an empty space on the other end for Max. As they sat down, Liz winked at Alex. Alex grinned back at her as Max flipped the switch and plunged them all into semi-darkness.

Everyone fell silent as Max took his place at the small table. They all glanced at each other as Max took a deep breath. He was nearly vibrating with excitement. “Okay so everyone needs to set two fingers on the planchette. Lightly, mind you.” There was a pause before everyone slowly reached out and placed two fingers on the planchette as instructed. Max sent them all an annoyed look before continuing. “Only one person is supposed to ask questions, so I’ll do that.”

Michael let out a sigh of relief and Kyle rolled his eyes. Max glared at the two of them, then spoke. “Hello. Is there anyone here who would like to speak with us tonight?”

There was silence as the group tensed, waiting for a response. Liz let out a nervous laugh that got cut short as the planchette slowly began to move. The teens let out gasps of shock as they saw- and felt- the small object being to move. It slowly made it’s way to “yes” before stopping. There was silence for a moment as they tried to comprehend what had happened. None of them had seriously thought anything would. They looked suspiciously at each other before turning to look at Max.

Max glanced around the table before squaring his shoulders. “Can you tell us your name?”

There was another pause before the planchette began to move once more. As it did, those surrounding the table got tenser. Alex shivered once and glanced around before scooting closer to Michael. The planchette spelled out R-H-E-A.

“Rhea,” Max repeated. “Is that your name?”

Another pause, then the planchette moved slowly back to “yes”. Isobel suppressed a shudder, and threw a look over her shoulder.

“Ask them something else. Maybe a last name? We can try to find them.” Liz suggests. The candles around the basement flicker briefly before steadying again.

Max, who looked like he was highly regretting this idea, nodded. “Do you have a last name, Rhea?” The planchette began moving immediately after Max finished asking the question. The close nit group of friends watched as the person they were in contact with spelled out a second word: B-AN-N-O-C-K.

“Bannock. Rhea Bannock.” Liz muttered under her breath as she fumbled through her bag with her free hand for a notebook and pen to jot the name down on. When she finished, Max continued. “Can you tell us something about yourself, Rhea?”

A long pause occurs, then the words A-L-O-N-E and S-C-A-R-E-D are written out. Alex lets out a murmur of sympathy as the shadows danced oddly around them.

“What happened to you, Rhea?” Max asked as the others watched the board with mixed expressions. As they waited for a response, Liz shivered.

“When did it get so cold?” At her mention, the rest of the group began to realize just how cold it was. They could hear the heater going, but the basement was ice cold. As Michal opened his mouth to comment on the odd temperature change, they felt movement again and all eyes snapped back down to the board. They watched with mounting fear as the planchette spelled out two more words: T-R-A-I-T-O-R and D-E-A-T-H.

Kyle let out a scared laugh. “Okay, guys. Very funny.”

The group turned their eyes to him. “Surely you don’t think one of us is doing this?” Isobel asked, eye brow raised.

“It has to be one of you. This isn’t funny,” Kyle retorted. “And ghosts aren’t real.” As he spoke, his voice rose with panic. He moved to pull his hand away and Liz’s free hand shot out to stop him. “You can’t just pull away, Kyle. You have to close the session first. Otherwise bad things can happen.”

Once she was sure he wasn’t going to remove his hand, Liz released him. “I think we should stop. Something isn’t right.” Her fingers were shaking where they rested on the small planchette. Michael and Alex nodded in agreement, their free hands clenched tightly together under the table.

Max let out a breath. “That sounds like a great idea.” Together, they moved the planchette to “goodbye”. As they did, all the candles went out, plunging the group into total darkness. They froze in terror, and Max managed to whisper, “We end this session. Return home. Goodbye.”

When he finished speaking, there was a low moan, followed by a heavy thud. Liz let out a terrified scream and Michael leapt to his feet, banging a knee against the table. He let out a pained grunt as he made his way through the pitch black darkness to the light switch. When he reached it, he flicked it on. As Michael's eyes adjusted to the sudden light, he turned to see everyone hovering over an unconscious Isobel.


	2. Consequences

Michael practically flew back to the group, eyes wide. He fell to his knees beside Alex, reaching a hand out to grasp on of Isobel’s. he could feel her pulse, but her skin was cold as ice. Max was brushing her hair out of her face, worry obvious on his face. It was silent for a time as every one of the teens wondered silently if maybe they had caused this to happen. If maybe the stories Maria had told them when she refused to play had had some nugget of truth to them after all. They shifted uneasily as the temperature of the room began to slowly increase. Eventually though, Kyle broke the silence. “Should we move her?” 

The Evans’ boys shared a glance, Michael raising and eye brow and Max shaking his head slightly. Michael rolls his eyes and they stand in unison. They shooed the others aside, then bent down to pick Isobel up, Max at her head and Michael at her feet. They slowly made their way over to the couch and gently place her on it. The others followed them quietly, Alex grabbing the throw blanket resting on the back of the couch to settle over Isobel. 

“We should tell your parents,” Liz said, holding herself tightly. “She hit her head pretty hard.” 

“No!” Max and Michael shouted together, starting the others with their intensity. Alex flinches back as Liz and Kyle jump. 

“Sorry,” Michael says. “It’s just that this isn’t the first time this has happened.” 

“Yeah. She’ll be just fine in a few hours.” Max continued. When Liz, Alex, and Kyle looked unconvinced, Max added, “I promise. This really isn’t anything new.” 

“If you insist, man.” Kyle relented. “But she should probably see a doctor.” 

“She has.” Michael assured them. “They can’t find anything wrong with her.” At his words, the three teens shared concerned glances, but relaxed. 

“Okay. I think I’m going to head home now then. This has been more than enough excitement for one night.” Liz said, turning to grab the shoes she had removed before the festivities began. 

“I’ll walk with you,” Kyle told her, glancing uneasily around the room. When the two of them turned to look at Alex, he shook his head. 

“Hunter’s home this week. He’s keeping Dad occupied. I don’t have to worry about him wondering where I am.” He swiped his tongue across his lower lip before biting it. He sent a sly look Michael’s way, who grinned back. 

“Gross.” Max said, rolling his eyes. “At least try to keep it down.” 

“No promises.” Michael retorted, wrapping an arm around Alex’s waist and pulling him close. Alex tilts his head to press a kiss to Michael’s cheek. Everyone laughed and headed up the stairs. With one last glance at Isobel, Max shut off the light and made his way up. 

At the front door, hugs are exchanged between Liz and all the boys. Liz tells Alex to let her know if he needs an alibi. Alex smiles and assures that it really wouldn’t be necessary, but promised to do it anyways. “Hunter is the one decent brother I have. He won’t give Dad time to think about the fact that I never came home.” They wave Liz and Kyle off, watching until they can’t see them anymore. 

Michael claps his hands. ”Well, that exciting, but I think it’s time for something calming. You guys want to watch a movie?” 

Max shakes his head. “I think I’m going to head to my room and read. You two enjoy some time alone. You know our parents won’t be back until Sunday, so it’s not like you have to worry about them walking in on you.” 

Alex flushed, but grinned at Max. “Thanks, man.” 

Max nods at him with a smile and turns to make his way up to his room. 

******

Later that night, Max woke up suddenly. He looked around his room, which was illuminated only by whatever light came in through the window. He wasn’t sure what had caused him to wake up, but something deep in his bones told him it couldn’t possibly be anything good. He threw his blankets off and slid out of bed. He shivered a bit and made his way to the door. As he reached for the knob, something moved behind him. Max spun around, but nothing was there. 

He reached out blindly for the switch. When he found it, he flicked it on. Nothing happened. He froze for a moment, then lifted his gaze to the ceiling fan. He flipped the switch off then back on, but once again nothing happened. His breath quickened as he saw something move. Max’s gaze jumped to the area, but there was nothing. 

“What the fuck?” He whispered, slowly making his way over to where he would swear he had seen someone standing. His teeth began to chatter. He reached a hand out to feel the empty space when an icy hand grabbed the back of his neck. Max let out a strangled yell. He turned, swinging. He registered Isobel just in time to stop his hand from striking her. 

“Isobel?” He gasped. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.” 

When all she did was stare at him, Max squinted to get a better look at her. She was still in the clothes they had left her in. her skin was pale and her eyes where unfocused. She hadn’t even flinched when his hand had come flying towards her. “I-Isobel? Are you alright?” 

She stood there for a moment, motionless, before turning without a word a leaving the room. Max let out a confused noise and followed her. She made her way down the hall towards her own room. She paused outside Michael’s door before continuing on. Max glanced at Michael’s door, wondering whether or not he should get back up, then deciding against it. When he looked back at Isobel, she was gone. Her bedroom door was ajar, so he made his way to it. Max pushed the door open and peered inside.

Isobel’s room was picture perfect. Everything was in its carefully assigned spot. Isobel herself was standing in the center of her room, staring unseeing at the far wall. Max entered her room and made his was to her. The moment he reached out and touched her shoulder, she collapsed. Max moved to catch her and her dead weight pulled them both to the ground. As he did so, her bedroom door swung shut. Max ignored it and ran his hands over Isobel to make sure she hadn’t hurt herself further. Because of this, he failed to notice the dark shape making its way to, and then through, Isobel’s shut door. 


	3. Things of Nightmares

The sun was shining brightly as Michael and Alex climbed out of Michael’s truck and made their way across the street to enter _The Crashdown_. Alex held the door open for Michael, smacking him on the ass as he walks past him. Michael jumps slightly at the contact as Alex snickers. They make their way to the booth in the far corner of the restaurant where Liz and Kyle were waiting for them. Rosa brings out some fries and milkshakes for them as they take their seats across from the former couple.

Michael thanks her and slides Alex’s food over to him. Alex shoots him a grin as he and Kyle fall into a conversation about whether My Chemical Romance or Tupac had better music. Michael smiles fondly at him before stuffing his face and beginning a discussion about the latest physics project he and Liz had been paired up for. Liz had a notebook out and was jotting down their ideas so they could do some proper research on them later.

Some time later, once Michael and Liz had gotten as far as they could without the use of the internet or their text books, Liz shut the notebook. Michael stretched and stood up, telling Alex they could leave after he made a visit to the restroom. Alex nodded his agreement, smiling up at him. Michael made his way to the bathroom, thinking about how much time he and Alex had before he had to run Alex home. As the door to the bathroom swung shut behind him, Michael took a look around. As he took in the scene in front of him, he froze in horror.

There was blood everywhere. It was splattered across the walls, dripped down the mirrors, and pooled on the floor. The bathroom stalls where torn shreds, doors barely managing to hang on their hinges. Bits of what appeared to be a loveseat was scattered everywhere. Water was spraying everywhere from broken toilets and urinals. In the farthest corner of the room, a dark figure stood. It was tall and skeletal. Its fingers were longer than they would been on a normal person and they ended in sharp points. Its head nearly brushed the ceiling. The head was tilted and it seems to stare straight into Michael’s soul.

Michael kept his eyes on the figure as he slid a hand behind himself to open the door. His hand slipped on the blood covering the handle, but he was eventually able to grip it tight enough to tug it open. When he tugged however, the door didn’t move. The blood drained from his face as he tried again to pull the door open without success. He let the handle go and his hand fell limply to his side. From the other side of the room, the dark figure appeared to smile. It tilted it’s head in the other direction before letting out a whisper. “Michael.”

Michael let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He didn’t respond to the call, shaking his head violently. He needed to figure out a way out of here. There had to be a way to get out without revealing himself. His darted around the room, trying to find a way out. The figure let out a soft chuckle. “Michael. What’s wrong, Michael?”

The scared teen’s eyes snapped back to the dark figure. “S-shut up. Leave me alone.”

The figure tutted gently. “Come now, Michael. I just want to spend some time with you. I’ve been so alone.”

”Well, I don’t want to spend time with you. I want to leave.” Michael shot back, voice shaking.

The figure seemed to think about this for a moment before the feeling that it was amused at Michael grew. It began a slow walk towards him. “Oh? Do you have plans with your pretty little boyfriend?”

At those words, anger flashed through Michael and his eyes flew open. He could see Alex leaning over him, could hear him calling his name. Michael frowned in confusion. He was still standing in the bloody, destroyed bathroom, but he was able to clearly see Alex and the ceiling of his bedroom. He opened his mouth to say something, only to realize that he couldn’t speak. He tried over and over to scream, but the result remained the same. The figure had stopped right in front of him and leaned down to whisper directly into Michael’s ear. “Who will protect him with you here?” It let out a low laugh and vanished.

Just as Michael registered the words it reappeared again. Right behind Alex. “No. No no no no no.” Michael screamed. He could see Alex’s mouth moving, could hear him as if he were underwater, the sound garbled, asking Michael if he was okay. Saw him frown when he didn’t get a response. Michael spun round, looking for something, anything, that could free him from this nightmare. And he watched in horror as the figure lifted one hand and stroked a finger down Alex’s cheek. As he did so, a thin red line appeared. Michael heard its laugh echo through his mind once more before it disappeared. 

The moment the creature was gone, Michael jerked up, nearly smashing Alex’s face with his own. Alex managed to dodge just time, watching Michael with his hands outstretched. Michael was heaving, terror evident in his eyes. His head whipped around, looking for the whatever had been fucking with him. When he couldn’t find it, he grabbed Alex by the shoulders and hauled him into a hug, hand shaking as it stroked the cut the figure had left behind. It took a long time for Michael to register the fact that Alex was talking, try to get his attention. He looked down at him and did his best to focus. And saw the look of scared confusion on his face. “Alex? Are you okay?”

Alex licked his lips and glanced around the room before looking up at Michael. “I. Yes?”

Something about his voice sent off warning bells in Michael’s mind. He pulled away slightly so he could look at him properly. “You don’t sound so sure there, babe.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, sass evident even through his obvious fear. “Why don't you tell me how I am suppose to sound when you started thrashing around and then _everything in the room starts floating, Michael._”

At those words, Michael’s eyes widened. Everything dropped a foot to the ground as Michael’s control over then disappeared. He and Alex stared at each other as Michael’s mind goes blank, hoping and praying that this doesn’t cause Alex to leave him. Or worse, tell someone about what he had experienced.


	4. Realizations

Michael opened and closed his mouth several times before giving up. He really didn’t have a reasonable way to explain what had just happened. He was sure that _Oh, you know, I’m an alien and these things happen_ was not the way to go. Alex continued to stare at him, eyebrow raised. He wanted an answer and he wasn’t budging until he got it. Michael licked his lips and looked down for a moment. “I don’t really know what you want me to say, Alex.”

He shifted uneasily, moving to lower his hands to the bed in case Alex no longer wanted Michael to touch him. As he did so, Alex’s hands grabbed them and held on tight. “This wasn’t the first time something like that has happened, babe. Just, you know, the most obvious.”

Michael’s head snapped up in alarm. “What do you mean that wasn’t the first time?”

Alex shrugged halfheartedly. “It’s not. Mostly it’s just something small, like a book falling to the ground or a glass of water vibrating on the table next to your bed. But it happens pretty often. Typically when you are getting close to coming. But this time, it was everything. And you were terrified. Something happened.”

“You never said anything.” Michael whispered, shaking hard. “Why? Are you. Please tell me you aren’t afraid of me.”

Alex raised Michael’s hands to his mouth and pressed kisses against his fingers. “My mother’s people had stories, you know. About people who fell from the sky and came to them seeking shelter. They could do marvelous things. They didn’t mean anyone any harm, and so they were protected from outsiders. They would talk of others, missing or hidden away for safety. Of a war that had ravaged their home. They helped were they could, healing people who were injured, making it easier to do difficult tasks. Getting those who would cause others harm to leave. Not all of them made it, but those that did were safe.

When the three of you were found, my mother told me you must have been some of those that were hidden away. I was taught not to be afraid. That you wouldn’t hurt us. And you haven’t. How could I be afraid of you? The genius boy with wild curls that I love so much? The boy I would do anything to protect?”

At the end of his little speech, Michael was crying quietly. The tears slid down his face as he did his best to breathe properly. The knowledge that this precious boy knew about him and loved him anyways was amazing to him. Alex reached up to wipe the tears from Michael’s face. “There is nothing and no one on this or any other planet that can change that. I promise you that.”

Michael let out a sob and pulls Alex close, burying his face in Alex’s hair. Alex runs his fingers lightly through Michael’s curls. He rocked Michael gently until he calmed down, murmuring to him about how much he loved him. Michael held him tightly, trying to get his breathing under control. When he finally managed to look up, Alex smiled softly at him. “Hey, there. Doing better?”

Michael let out a wet laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, I am. I love you, too, you know. So much.”

”I know.” He shifted around in Michael’s hold to rest against his chest. “Now, tell me what had you so scared.” Michael took a deep breath and pulled Alex closer to him before describing the dream he had in as much detail as he could remember. It took him a while, his grip on Alex tightening when he got to the end. He ran his finger along the scratch again. “That thing, whatever it was, actually hurt you. I think that’s what scares me the most. It means that it was real.”

Alex raises a hand to feel his cheek. “That’s so weird. I didn’t even feel this happen.”

”Do you think we did this? By using that stupid board?” Michael asks, before freezing. “Do you think it got to the others? We need to go check on them.” He scrambles out from behind Alex, nearly falling in his haste to get out of the bed. He yanked on the briefs he had left on the floor and flew out of his room, Alex right behind him. “Max! MAX!” He ran to Max’s room, stumbling to a halt when he got to the doorway of the empty room. “Oh no.”

Alex rested a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, deep breaths. He could have just gone to the bathroom or something. Don’t jump to conclusions.”

”You’re right. I’m sorry, I just-“

”Mike! Are you alright?”

The two boys spin around to see Max in the doorway to Isobel’s room. He looked panicked, eyes darting around. “Yeah. Max, why are you in Isobel’s room?” Michael took a careful step towards his brother.

”I woke up. I don’t even know why. But I got up to figure it out. I thought something was in my room. And then Izzy was there. But she was acting all weird. Like she wasn’t all there, you know. So I followed her to her room. And she passed out again. I tried to leave, to get you so you could help me. But the door. It was stuck. It just wouldn’t open. I tried calling for you, but you didn’t answer. What the hell is going on?” Max recounted, voice getting higher the longer he spoke.

Michael and Alex exchanged a look, then turned back to Max. “Nothing good, Max. Something is here. We let something out. That’s the only explanation I have. I had some shit happen to. It was bad.” The couple made their way over to Max. “Is Izzy okay?” He peered around Max and saw Isobel sprawled on the floor, completely still.

He pushed past Max to get to her. He checks he pulse, frowning at how cold she is. He glances over at Max and Alex. “She is way to cold, Max. I don’t like this.”

”I don’t like it either,” Max says, crossing his arms. “But what are we going to do?”

Michael sighs. “I don’t know. I really hate the idea of staying here tonight, but we can’t leave with Isobel like this. It’s not safe.” Michael holds a hand out over her and concentrates, ignoring Max’s panicked cry. Her body lifts slowly from the floor and moves over her bed. The comforter folds down and Isobel settles gently on the sheets, comforter folding back up to cover her. Once he stops using his abilities, he stumbles backwards from the amount of effort it required. Alex was by his side almost instantly, holding him up. Michael looks up at him with a faint smile.

The moment is broken by Max’s angry “What the fuck, Michael.” Michael winces as he turns to face Max, who looks both furious and terrified.

”In my defense, he already knew.” Michael. That definitely did not help if the way Max paled meant anything. “He isn’t going to do anything, Max. If he was, it would have happened already, don’t you think?”

Alex pressed closer to Michael, taking his hand and holding it tightly. “You can trust me, Max. You know me. Why would I hurt you? Besides,” he says, gesturing to Isobel. “I think we may have a bigger problem on our hands. Like the thing that ay or may not be a _demon_ that we let loose on the world.”

Max glared at them for another moment before releasing a breath. “Fine. We’ll deal with that later. I’ll call Liz, one of you all Kyle. We need to make are they are okay. See if this _thing_ is contained to the house or not.”

Michael and Alex nod in agreement, walking around Max to leave the room. Max lets out a sigh and hopes that they can figure everything out before his parents get home and heads to his room to call Liz.


	5. Sleepovers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure I'm entirely happy with this, but here you go.

Kyle was sleeping soundly when the chorus to I Write Sins, Not Tragedies jerked him awake. He floundered for a moment, disconcerted before reaching out and grabbing his cell phone. He flipped his phone open and let out a muttered, “Alex? Everything okay?”

He sat up quickly when Alex answered. “Not really. Some really fucked up shit has been happening here tonight. Are you okay? Has anything happened over there?”

Kyle desperately wanted to believe that Alex was fucking with him, but the shakiness of his voice wasn’t something he believed Alex would fake. “No, nothing. Everything is good here. What kind of things?”

<>As Alex gave him a brief version of the events that had happened to himself and Michael at the Evans’ house that night, Kyle climbed out of bed and began pulling some clothes on. When Alex finished his explanation, Kyle told him that he was coming back over and that he would pick Liz up. He grabbed his keys and silently made his way to the back door. He held his breath as he passed his parents room. He wasn’t sure if they were home and he didn’t want to risk getting caught.

Once he made it out of the house, he let out a sigh of relief. He went to send Liz a text and saw that she had sent him one telling him that she would be waiting for him in the back alley. Kyle got into his car, thankful that it wasn’t loud and made his way down familiar streets to The Crashdown. He pulled into the alleyway and Liz climbed into the car looking shaken. “Are you okay?”

She smiled at him, though it looked strained. “Yeah, but this is a little scary, I’m not going to lie. Did we do this? Because we messed with that board. It was just supposed to be a game, Kyle.”

Kyle pulled out of the alley and began the drive to the Evans’ house. “I don’t know Liz. Part of me hopes they are fucking with us, but a bigger part of me knows better. And that terrifies me.”

Liz nods and leans her head against the window. The rest of the drive is spent in tense silence. When they get to their destination, Alex and Michael are waiting for them on the porch. Kyle and Liz get out of the car and walk up the path to meet them. Kyle takes in the cut on Alex’s cheek, remembering what he had been told on the phone. He grimaces. “Lets get inside, yeah? You’re all still in your night clothes. Don’t want the neighbors making waves.” Kyle herds everyone inside.

“Where’s Max?” Liz asks, looking around as if he would magically appear.

“He’s upstairs sitting with Isobel.” Michael answers, leading the way upstairs. “She hasn’t so much as twitched since we made the calls. I think he feels like this is all his fault.”

Kyle was a bit confused as Alex hadn’t said anything to him about her, but he figured he would learn soon enough. Liz and Kyle share a worried glance as they follow Michael and Alex into Isobel’s room, their unease mounting. Max is sitting beside Isobel, looking lost and scared. Liz sat next to him, taking one of his hands in hers. “It’s okay, Max. We’ll figure this out.” He smiles weakly at her before going back to watching Isobel.

The three other boys stand in the center of the room, not sure of what to do. Nobody seems to want to speak first and the silence stretches the time as they watch the unconscious girl. Michael and Alex eventually sit on the ground by the door, leaning against each other while Kyle sits in the chair at Isobel’s vanity. As they watch, they all quietly go over what had happened to everyone earlier that night so that everyone was on the same page.

Kyle leaves briefly to get the first aid kit from the bathroom to clean the cut on Alex’s cheek. “Are you sure this thing, whatever it was, didn’t tell you it’s name?” He askes Michael.

“Positive, why?” Michael responds, arms crossed as he watches Kyle.

“Names have power, don’t they.” Liz says, breaking in before Kyle can say anything, “We know the things name, we have some form of power over. Which honestly makes it worrying that it knows our names.”

Kyle nods. “If it were a demon, knowing its name would make it easier to send back to wherever the hell it came from. At least that’s what all the shows would have us believe.”

Michael leans his head back against the wall. “We are going to spend so much time in the library.” Everyone lets out nervous laughs. “You know I’m right. There is going to be so much research. And Maria is going to be pissed. She told us not to do this.”

“It just makes me wonder why nothing happened to Kyle or myself,” Liz says. “Is it because we weren’t here or because whatever it is wanted you guys specifically.”

The silence that fills the room after that comment was heavy. They all had ideas and none of them wanted to say it out loud. The fact that it was only going after people in the Evans’ house was telling. They all exchanged nervous, uncomfortable glances. They didn’t really have answers about where to go from here.

“Why don’t we try a sleepover.” Kyle suggests. “Just pile a shit ton of blankets in here and do our best to get some sleep. There really isn’t anything we can do right now anyway. This way, we are all together. Safety in numbers, right?”

“Why not. I don’t really have a better idea.” Michael pushes himself up, reaching down to pull Alex up. “There are extra blankets and pillows in the closet down the hall. Can you grab them, Kyle? We can get the ones from my room. Max can get his.”

“I’ll stay with Izzy. So she isn’t alone.” Liz says after Max hesitates. The boys split up to get their prizes and Liz keeps a close eye on Isobel. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

_In the shadows behind her, a figure watches silently and smiles. With everyone here he would have to be more careful, but it would be well worth the benefits. The being watched as Liz fussed over Isobel. The girl made a good host. He will definitely be using her again. It made things much, much easier. As the young boys made their way back into the room, arms full of bedding, his smile widens. So many minds to chose from. It was going to be a fun night._

Michael, Alex, Max, and Kyle took their time setting up sleeping area. They had a few sleeping bags that they opened and used a base, then covered those in a couple comforters. They picked the spots they wanted for themselves using pillows. They tossed one to Liz when she said she would share Isobel’s bed. Once they were satisfied with the nest they had made, they crawled into it. Kyle was closest to the door, Max closest to the bed, and Alex and Michael curled up together between them. They spent some time talking, but it was late and they were exhausted. They each drifted off shortly after laying down.

_Once he was entirely sure they were all sleeping soundly, the figure pushed his way out of the shadows. He walked around the teens before stopping in front of Michael and Alex. He smiled and slipped his way into Alex’s subconscious. He would find a way to free himself from the place he was truly hidden, even if it meant scaring and using children to do so._

As the being slipped into his dreams, Alex let out a whimper. Michael pulls him closer, still asleep. Alex relaxes.


	6. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is gore and descriptions of tortured children in this chapter. Please proceed with caution.

Alex felt like he was suffocating. He couldn’t see anything and it was eerily silent. The only thing he could hear was his own breathing. He told himself he needed to calm down, that if he was trapped somewhere breathing heavily was just wasting oxygen. It did nothing to help. He lifted his arms and shuffled slowly, trying to find a wall. Hoping he wasn’t stuck somewhere small. He moved slowly, bare feet barely moving over the concrete ground. He really wished he knew where he was or how he had gotten there. He let out a pained grunt as his foot smacked into something jutting up from the floor. He moved slightly to the side and felt around with his foot before moving forward. After what felt like hours, Alex’s fingers finally touched a wall. It was rough, like the floor and he frowned. Wherever he had ended up was creepy indeed.

Somewhere off in the distance came a long, low wail. Alex jerked, spinning towards the sound. He wasn’t sure who or what had made that noise and he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Another low moan came and the hairs on the back of his neck rose. He swallowed hard and made the decision to try and find the source of the noise. It didn’t seem smart, but something told him it was very important.

He began to make his way towards the sound, one hand on the wall for support. He still couldn’t see anything and it was freaking him out more than the pained cries. The more he walked, the louder the wails got, the more his flight instincts tried to kick in. Alex shook it off. He had to help whoever was being hurt. They needed him. He wasn’t sure where the conviction came from, but he knew it was true. As he pushed forward, he began shivering. The air around him had steadily grown colder and his clothes weren’t much help. The scrubs he wore were old and thin and definitely not made for this environment.

Up ahead, he could see the faint outline of a door. The light from behind it was lighting up the cracks. Alex let a soft sigh of relief. He was not a fan of being unable to see. Upon reaching the door, Alex felt around for the handle with his free hand. Finding it, he tested it. The handle turned easily and he smiled. He shoved the door open and blinked in the sudden brightness. When his sight cleared, he paled and reached a hand up to try and stop the instinctive need to vomit.

A naked body was tied down on a table directly in front of him. It was pale and lifeless, blood dripping off of it and onto the table. From the table, the dark red blood fell to the floor, puddling beneath it. The body itself was small, no larger than the average ten year old. It was cut open, the sides of its chest gaping, revealing its hidden secrets to the world at large. Horror and pain bloomed in Alex’s chest as he looked at the child. A small, bloodied hand dangled limply over the edge of the table. Alex pushed himself forward, swallowing hard. The child’s lifeless brown eyes stared unseeing at the ceiling above.

As Alex reached a hand out to close the eyes of the child, he froze. His hand was larger than it should have been. The nails were ragged and torn, unpainted. He lifted his hand to his face, confused. He looked down at his body and noticed it also looked different. His breathing increased as he began to panic. Something was very, very wrong. He stumbled back away from the table, spinning around, trying to find something, anything reflective. As he did, he stepped on something and fell backwards. Whatever, or whoever, he had stepped on crunched and he heard a loud wail.

Alex scrambled to his knees, head swiveling, trying to find the source of the noise. He froze when he spotted a small, dirty child staring back at him. The child was shaking, tears and snot pouring down their face. They were clutching their leg, which looked- bad. The shin was bloodied and bruised with-Alex paled a little further. Bits of bones were sticking out, covered in red and chipped. The child stared him with a look of familiarity, but Alex was sure he had never seen them before. They reached out a hand called out to him. And though Alex could tell that the language spoken was not one he knew, he understood what the small child said perfectly. _“Father?”_

Alex jerked back, shocked. There was no way this child was his. He didn’t have children. But when the poor thing whimpered again, Alex shuffled closer and wrapped his hands around them. He looked around, hoping to find a way out. He slowly rocked the child, hoping to calm them. Then, faintly, he heard footsteps drawing nearer. The child whimpered in his arms, and stood quickly. He continued his search, freezing when he catches sight of himself in the mirror. Whoever he was looking at, it was not Alex Manes. The man in the mirror is taller than him and skinnier. He was gaunt and littered with cuts and bruises. Alex began to shake and he pulled his face away from the mirror and continued to look around the room. He shook his head as despair filled him. There was only one door, and there were voices on the other side of it. Alex clutched the child close and began walking back as the knob turned and the door was pushed open. Alex’s arms went limp when he saw the faces of the men in the doorway. The child let out another loud wail as Alex dropped them.

A man’s voice whispered in his mind. _“Save them. Must. Save. Them.”_ With a strangled scream, Alex jerks awake. The bodies around him flail, snapping instantly to attention. Arms wrap themselves around him and he shoves them away, still screaming. He scrambles back, putting as much space between them as he can, still half lost in the things he had seen. Michael knelt in front of him, hand raised towards him, palm up. “Alex. Alex, can you hear me? You’re okay. I promise. You’re safe here.” The other teenagers looked at each other, helpless.

Alex shook, leaning away from him. “No one is safe. No one.” Tears slipped down his face as he remembered the things he had seen. The people in the doorway. What they had done _to children. Innocent children._ He wasn’t sure he would ever be clean again.

From the corner of the room, a tall, dark figure watched. _Soon._ it thought. 


End file.
